Moving Picture World (Jan-Feb 1927)

January 15, 1927 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 195 George Walsh’s New Picture Timely Film With the news of the fistic world breaking into the front pages of the metropolitan newspapers day after day, George Walsh’s newest picture, Tiis Rise to Fame,” will be coming along at exactly the right time, according to officials of Excellent Pictures Corporation, the producing company. The star enacts one of his athletic roles, this time that of a championship boxer. He is as much at home in the squared circle as he is on the gridiron, the diamond or most any other field of contest where athletic supremacy is at stake. He’s Real Scrapper Before the last heavyweight prizefight battle, Walsh boxed both with Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey. All of the Excellent officials are excitedly keyed up about the picture, much more than they have been on any of the preceding features Walsh has starred in for them, though it is common talk in the trade that ‘‘The Kick-Off,” “A Man of Quality” and “Striving for Fortune” have brought the star to a new forward position in the rank of box-office attractions. Hopper Is to Continue With Marie Prevost The combination of Marie Prevost, star, and E. Mason Hopper, director, has proved to be such a sucessful one that Metropolitan Pictures have signed Hopper to direct Miss Prevost in her next three pictures. The Prevost-Hopper combination began with “Up in Mabel’s Room,” an A1 Christie feature. This was followed by “Almost a Lady.” Upon the completion of the latter, Hopper took a vacation jaunt to Europe, returning at the cabled request of Metropolitan officials to direct “Getting Gertie’s Garter.” “ The Price of Honor” Nearing Completion “The Price of Honor,” which Edward H. Griffith is directing for Columbia Pictures, is nearing completion at the Hollywood Studios. Dorothy Revier is the featured player, and her supporting company comprises Malcolm McGregor, William V. Mong, Irville Alderson, Gustav von Sayffertitz and Dan Mason. Louis B. Mayer Outlines 1927 Plans for M.-Cj.-M. P roduction She Sparkles, Too Pauline Starke, the M-G-M star, soon to appear in “Women Love Diamonds.” Charles E. Mack Cast For “A Million Bid ” Charles Emmet Mack, a Griffith discovery who achieved fame over-night because of his excellent portrayal of the boy in “Dream Street,” has been signed by Warner Bros, for a featured role in a “A Million Bid,” in which Dolores Costello is being starred. Other players who will support Miss Costello are Warner Oland, John Miljan, Sojun, Josef Swickard and Anders Randolph. Alan Crosland, director of “Don Juan” and “When a Man Loves,” will wield the megaphone. Joseph Schildkraut Wins New Contract Cecil B. De Mille lias rewarded Joseph Seliildkrant for his splendid performance as Judas in “The Kin A' of Kings,” with a new contract by the terms of which he Mill he starred in De MilleMetropolitan productions during 191>7. Just as soon as the young-er Schildkraut completes his role In the Biblical picture, he will move his make-up kit to the Metropolitan studio to star in “The Heart Thief,” a screen version of “The Highway,” by Lajos Biros. This play was one of Schildkraut’s last stage successes before he definitely cast his lot with the silent drama. “Old Heidelberg” and “The Trail of ’98,” With Unique King Vidor Feature, Top List of Big Films THE MOST PRETENTIOUS producing schedule planned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer since the inception of this organization has been ushered in with the New Year at the big Culver City Studios. With almost a dozen pictures in the cutting rooms and six big productions under way at the studio eleven feature productions will be started during the first month of the New Year, it was announced this week by Louis B. Mayer, vice-president and producing head of the largest studio in the world. The first three to get under way will be super-features, “Old Heidelberg,” “The Trail of ’98,” and King Vidor’s new picture, as yet unnamed. These will be quickly followed by a number of features which will see practically all of the stars, principal stock players and directors in action. “The Trail of ’98,” which is to be directed by Clarence Brown, will be a screen play by Benjamin Glazer, based on the famous novel by Robert W. Service. The interior scenes will be filmed at the studio, but later in the winter, Brown will take a large company of players to the Klondyke and Alaska, where the exteriors will be filmed on the original locales. Expect Competition “In the production of this picture,” says Mr. Mayer, “we realize that it must compete with many big pictures depicting the drama and comedy of the frozen wastes on the northern frontier of civilization. We enter into its making with the express intention of giving to the picturegoers of the world the really great epic of that fascinating region. “In fact the entire producing program of the coming year is being elaborately planned with the intention of offering upon the screen a large number of truly great pictures which will prove the great progressive strides which have been made recently in this great industry. “The world has been told during the last year of our producing activities, but nothing has been announced until now of the quiet but intensive search made throughout the world for the best available screen material in order to make 1927 a year that will always be remembered for its magnificent screen productions. Europe, as well as America, has been combed for this material. Books and plays have been examined minutely and phychological analysis has been made of the entire literary situation in order to give the world the very best that can be transplanted to the screen. “As the next vehicle for Miss Lillian Gish we have secured 'The Enemy,’ Channing Pollock's next play, which will be directed by Victor Seastrom, who recently directed this star in "The Scarlet Letter.” “This play, which had a sensational triumph last year at the Times Square Theatre, New York, with Fay Bainter in the stellar role, is one of the mosttalked-of pieces of dramatic work in years, and its transplanting to the screen will not only provide entertainment for picturegoers, but will be a production that will go even a step further towards the ending of war than did ‘The Big Parade.’ Plan “The Wind” “Another great story planned as a vehicle for the same charming actress is Dorothy Scarborough’s ‘The Wind,’ one of the best of recent novels. “Still another great work which we plan to give the picture world will be based on Tolstoy’s ‘Anna Karenina.’ This is to be directed by Dimitri Buchowetzki, who is now adapting it to the screen. “Red, White and Blue,’ an original story founded on the making of good citizens and the development of a higher class of citizens through the medium of the national training camps, will tell its story in a serio-comic manner through the direction of Sam Wood. “Among the popular novels chosen for the screen is Kathleen Norris’ ‘The Callahans and the Murphys.’ ” “Fighting Love” Cast Henry B. Walthall and Louis Natheaux have been recalled to the De Mille studio for added scenes to “Fighting Love,” starring Jetta Goudal under the direction of Nils Olaf Chrisander.